Dr. Helen

Friday, May 28, 2010

Monday, May 24, 2010

Is "Sex and the City 2" Politically Incorrect?

I don't know, I haven't seen it yet. It comes out this week and I hope to see it soon. However, I read the first review of the new Sex and the City 2 movie at The Hollywood Reporter and found their take interesting: "Bottom Line: Overlong sequel scores some choice, politically incorrect laughs." According to the reviewer, the movie is politically incorrect due to the following:

First of all, Carrie encounters her old flame, Aidan (John Corbett), at the spice market, but even more importantly, she and her friends run up against the puritanical and misogynistic culture of the Middle East. The rather scathing portrayal of Muslim society no doubt will stir controversy, especially in a frothy summer entertainment, but there's something bracing about the film's saucy political incorrectness. Or is it politically correct? "SATC 2" is at once proudly feminist and blatantly anti-Muslim, which means that it might confound liberal viewers.

Indicative of the film's contradictory stance is a scene in which the ladies perform a karaoke version of Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" in an Abu Dhabi nightclub. An equally outrageous moment comes when the interlopers are rescued by a bunch of Muslim women who strip off their black robes to reveal the stylish Western outfits they are concealing beneath their discreet garb. These endearingly loopy scenes exhibit the tasteless humor that enlivened the TV series on its best nights.

I have a few questions. Are liberal feminists always pro-Muslim? Does multi-culturalism trump feminism for liberals? If so, how can any of them defend their position? Or is it that anti-Americanism trumps feminism for many liberals? Or does the following comment at the review site reflect how some liberals feel?:

sohorob comments:May 24, 2010I dont get this reviewers point about possibly offending liberals. Most liberals (like myself) think the muslim anti-gay, anti-women beliefs are in strong need of being defamed. Bravo to Darren Star for not being afraid of their pathetic religion.

After reading this review, I really look forward to watching the movie. It would be refreshing to see some political incorrectness coming out of Hollywood at the moment.